I’d like to thank the good friends of OnlyBands, These New South Wales (in particular Jamie and Todd) for providing the Gold Standard platform for promoting great punk bands. In What A Great Punk Episode 430, they featured The Antics members Freya and Flyn. This was all I needed to hear to become deadset on interviewing them at The Bearded Lady the following week, playing alongside local troublemakers Shock Value, and opening for Greek (and Australian) trio Frenzee.
The Antics are:
- Freya Tanks: Vox
- Flyn Varley: Bass
- Alannah Balchin: Drums
- Perry Dalby: Guitar
1. What is the most memorable time you’ve been Stuck as a band?
(All band members make a lot of “Ahhh” and “Ughhh” sounds as I got them by surprise)
OB: Like right now ha-ha-ha!
Freya: What about that time we were in the elevator in Polytech and we thought it was going to stop working?
Perry: That was like five minutes though. That wasn’t like a decade of time.
Freya: True.
Flyn: Oh, we practice at TAFE, and the elevator is really dodgy. And I get real paranoid that we are going to get stuck in there every time we get in, as it makes these really weird noises.
Perry: Yeah, it makes this strange grinding sound.
OB: Oh! You need to record those sounds and put them into a song backing track.
Perry: Yeah, we’ll call it Poly Sounds!
Flyn: Nah it’s Foley made, Foley Sounds (the brand of the lift).
(The band all laughed at this, and they seem genuinely keen on doing it. Listen out for some backing sounds on the next releases of creaking elevator shafts)
2. I’d like you to create a band using only Tony’s or Toni’s. Who are you adding to the line-up?
Freya: Oh, does Anthony count?
OB: Yeah, sure.
Freya: Well Anthony Kiedis.
Allanah: I don’t know any Tony’s or Toni’s!
Perry: Ah Tony Soprano!
Flyn: And Anthony Bourdain.
OB: I can give you a good Tony Allanah…
Allanah: Wait, Tony Hawk! (To the approval of everyone)
OB: Nice! I was going to suggest Tony Bennet if you get Stuck. But that’s a pretty good list of Tony’s. Would the band be called The Tony’s, right? WAIT! Turn around! There’s a possum behind you, walking along the fence.
(We all turn around and witness a West End local inhabitant, a ringtail possum, nonchalantly out on a cruise through the Beardo backyard because it wasn’t on the guest list for the show)
Flyn: Oh, it’s got babies on its back! A whole family!
3. Is there something you represent as a band that you are not prepared to turn a Blind Eye to?
Freya: That we represent as a band?
OB: Yep.
Freya: Good bloody times, good banter, and good laughs.
Perry: And that’s true with our music too.
OB: Yeah, I like that.
4. Who have you Seen In The Scene that really must be seen?!
Freya: Oh, so many.
Flyn: Elvis 2.
OB: I haven’t seen them yet, Drunk Mums talk about them often.
Flyn: They are fucking awesome man!
Freya: R.U.B, spelt as an acronym
OB: Both Melbourne-based?
Freya: Yeah, both Melbourne.
Allanah: Piss Wizard, it’s Perry’s solo project.
OB: Oh, I am going to check them all out.
OB: Getting back to Elvis 2, there’s a band I saw on the Gold Coast called Disgraceland. They are a heap of fun and do punk and metal song covers with the frontman in a full Elvis costume, so that could be a good combo on a bill.
Perry: Oh, fuck yeah!
Flyn: Yeah, I have seen that band name on several lineups recently.
5. What’s your favourite memory of the Bendigo Hotel? Seeing as you just dropped the Live from the Bendigo EP this month.
Perry: I played my very first gig there. When I was fourteen. I played the set and got kicked out immediately afterwards. Even though my parents were there? (everyone laughs) Yeah, they told me to get the hell out.
Flyn: I don’t really have much recollection of the Bendigo Hotel. The rider was unlimited. I had about fifteen beers… It was a good night.
Allanah: Mine was watching Flyn slow dance with someone!
Flyn: I was slow dancing to Cutters!
OB: Oh, Stop it! You punks from Melbourne are so spoiled. I’d kill to see Cutters and there you are slow dancing to them, unfair!
Freya: Well, that was a great gig, but I think my favourite memory of the Bendi is probably Perry introducing himself to another band as Perineal Daniel, Francis Lahey, and just as Daniel.
Perry: I’d like to get the record straight. I was also on the unlimited rider and also had about fifteen beers! Ha-ha-ha-ha!
OB: My favourite memory of the Bendi is when it reopened last year and C.OF.F.I.N played a set for the occasion. It was insane, people were climbing over the fences to get in, as it had sold out. So good.
Flyn: Oh, I missed that show!
Freya: That sold out super quick, first show after it reopened yeah.
The Antics melted the Beardo crowd, with Freya’s high kicks adding to the stage presence as the band blistered before us. It was the usual fifty-five degrees in the Beardo, which is the perfect temperature setting to wring out the most from the artists that grace the stage. Before and after the interview with The Antics, I’d met Frenzee who were the headliners for the night. I felt terrible as I hadn’t organised an interview with them but after seeing them perform at the Beardo, I knew that was gonna have to change! Watch out for their interview next…
Many thanks to Luke Johnson (@lukeshots) for the incredible shots in this article! He has a real talent for capturing artists at their most raw and intense, especially for a band like The Antics. Make sure to check out more of his work.